That it clashed with their theology is secondary to the fact that the accepted, "proven" fact was that the Earth didn't move; the Church didn't say that, SCIENCE said that and the Church read the Bible in such a way that they agreed. Ptolemy worked in the 2nd century AD, when it was still illegal, in the Roman empire, to be Christian. So for the next 150 years or so, scientists agreed; then the Catholic Church was given official recognition and became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Then, more than 1200 years later, after nearly 1500 years of accepted SCIENTIFIC "fact," Galileo said the Earth moved, and provided compelling evidence (but not FINAL evidence).

What more needs be said? I keep exhorting you to look at this from the historical perspective--when will you?

Why do you demand that Galileo do something (provide *final evidence*, whatever that means) when you demand NOTHING OF THE SORT from the Church? The Church demanded that people accept THIER position as fact, when THEY had no *final evidence* either. In fact, they were dead wrong. Why must you still defend what the Church has now said is indefensible?

603 posted on 01/26/2006 11:59:25 AM PST by CarolinaGuitarman
("There is grandeur in this view of life...")